This won't be a regular feature here, but I figured I'd see what other bloggers think about giving positive vs. negative reviews. Now, I've never been one to shy away from what I truly think, and I don't sugarcoat my feelings on books in person, so when someone asked if negative reviews reflect badly on me, it really got me to thinking.

Now, first of all, I'm not a professional reviewer by any means, and I certainly never claimed to be. My reviews are purely my own thoughts and that is explicitly stated in my review policy. I feel I do a good job balancing the positive and negative aspects of books, for the most part. If I can't finish a book, I will put that on Goodreads, rather than my site. If I do finish a book though, and it doesn't work, I want to share that. Case in point? Witch & Wizard by James Patterson. Rarely do I believe a book qualifies as craptastic, but trust me, this book reeks of dumbed-down YA prose. Now, the book might work for some people, but if it didn't work for me, is it right for me to hide that review off my blog so as not to offend people?

Then, however, there are the books I really want to rave about. Raw Blue, anyone? I've never been one for contemporary books, but my last mailbox was all contemps based on that book, alone. A book that can make me want to read more contemporary fiction like that deserves to be raved about, and I want to make a clear distinction between the gems like Raw Blue and Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar (and other such books that prove something to me) and those that just don't work like Witch & Wizard or Trapped. Again, these are personal opinions, but if a book is set apart, the reason I created this site in the first place was to name those books that are standouts and why they work better for me than others.

I guess my main thought on positive and negative reviews is this - I don't take pleasure in writing negative reviews, but how am I supposed to show what books work for me if I can't show which don't? I have received a few snarky, shall we say, emails that imply I've got my head stuck somewhere it shouldn't be, and I wanted to clarify my take on it. What do you all think? Do you think it's alright to write negative reviews? Do you write them, and if so, do you think that gives us, as bloggers, cred, or do you think it adversely affects us?

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Be sure to check out today's The Long Weekend Blog Tour stop at Linds' blog, Bibliophile Brouhaha, for a fabulous review, author feature and giveaway!

Talk to Me Tuesday is a brand new weekly meme where we will discuss anything (and everything) literary-related in an open forum of honesty. Questions for the next week will be posted one week prior to the post on the Features page. If you'd like to participate in this weekly feature, simply create your post, link back to me, and add your post to the wonderful Mr. Linky below. Have fun, and have at it!

This week's question: What makes a great novel, in your opinion?

It’s kind of like the age-old question for book reviewers and book nerds, alike. What makes the perfect book for you? What makes you want to read a book again, and again, and again? I sat down the other day and decided to analyze it, and I decided it’s a bit like a trifecta for me. Three things (mainly) make a book great for me, and when just a single element is lacking, a book lags in my opinion and slips in my reviews.

First, I need great characters. I need them to be well-rounded and motivated in the sense that there is a reason they exist in the book. For example, in a book like Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, we were given Lea, an emotionally troubled girl desperate to vanish from the face of the earth through her disease, anorexia. She is haunted by a pact she made with her best friend, determined to continue her own destruction for fear of failure, and hell-bent on being the best at something, even if it means her ultimate demise. There are, however, characters that are too surface-level for me, and leave me wishing a book was stronger in that element. A perfect example for me in this case is Bridget from Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison. She’s promising, yes, but I never felt like her character ever really broke through her mean-girl stereotype except for self-survival.

Then, we have the plot. This is arguably the most important element of the story because without a sturdy and steady plot, there is no pace, and without the pace, let’s be honest…the whole book falls to pieces. Every plot is different (obviously), but every plot needs its share of background, a good flow, and a climax. For me, a great example of an awesome plot is that of Dark Song by Gail Giles. It starts with a spoiled little rich girl, rips her from her roots, throws in a bad influence, and leads to something that could very well destroy a family and a life. It moves steadily and consistently without lulls and major plot holes. A lot of books, unfortunately miss the mark with the climax. A prime example of an unfortunate fail for me was Witch & Wizard by James Patterson. It’s bland, boring, and spends too much time on minute and obscure details to ever get going. It promises a powerful premise but falls hopelessly short.

Last, there’s the writing style and voice. In YA literature, which I primarily read and review, there’s a delicate balance that must be upheld at all times. There’s a misconception that YA lit needs to be dumbed down and writing in blah/boring terms because the people who read YA are sans education or far too young. Contrary to what one might think, we can handle seriousness and great prose. We can analyze the themes properly. Some books, like Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers, respect this and challenge our minds. Other books, like Trapped by Michael Northrop, miss the mark because they simple err on the side of youth, forgetting that we’re every bit as capable of reading and understanding powerful books and messages.

Here's what some of your fellow bloggers said makes a great novel for them:

The Book Vixen says, "It pulls me in from the get-go, never let's me go, and keeps me thinking about it long after the last page has been turned."

Linds from Bibliophile Brouhaha says, "A GREAT novel? One that takes you on the character's journey. When the story is so compelling, the voice so authentic, and the writing so solid, that you've become the character and the journey is your own."

Ginger from GReads says, "When the writer makes you forget that you're reading words on a page & the story takes a life of it's own inside your mind."

Obviously, these are my personal opinions, but without any of these elements, I have to deduct points in my reviews, which (I believe) my readers can attest to. I take no pleasure in tearing books down, but I do take great pleasure in reading challenging and unique books. Luckily for us, there are a great many fabulous books on the market today and, therefore, there is no shortage of fantastic reading.

Want to weigh in and do your own Talk to Me Tuesday post for this week? Go ahead and link up!

Title: Trapped
Author: Michael Northrop
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: January 1, 2011
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade
Pages: 224
Source: Publisher

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive....

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall.

But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision....

It’s an ordinary day of school at Tattawa Regional High School, but then the snow starts. At first, it’s just a light storm, but the nor’easter rolls in quickly, giving Scotty Weems and his friends hope that they’ll get out of school after all. Then the snow picks up even more though, and they’ve stayed behind to work on a go-kart project…but they stayed behind too long. The roads are packed, the plows can’t move, and their little town is starting to shut down. With seven kids in the high school, their teacher gone to get help, and snow piling even higher. The kids are braced to face the night at school, but what happens when one night turns to two, and two turns to three? Can they survive in the biggest storm their town has ever seen?

Let's be honest...I was sold based on the cover and premise, alone, of Trapped. I’m a sucker for survival stories, too, and when they involve snow, kids braving the elements, and a battle to stay alive, I’m fairly certain you can’t go wrong with that. Michael Northrop is the acclaimed author of the novel, Gentlemen, which I’ve yet to read, but I’ve heard rave reviews of it, so I was excited to try his YA novel, Trapped. His tone is exceptionally conversational – almost as though the MC is actually speaking with the reader. It’s easily accessible, and extremely easy to follow.

I have to be honest though…Trapped rather disappointed me. I was expecting more of a thriller with gripping scenes and an epic struggle for survival. What I got instead, was a very young teen narrator that, yes, has an easy-to-read voice, but it was almost too easy, if you know what I mean. It felt dumbed down, to be brutally honest. Yes, I know kids say “like” every other word, but I don’t want to read it every word on every single page. I’m also aware that everyone says crass things every now and again, but describing someone crossing themselves as “spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch” and using terms like “turtling” is not really my cup of tea. The tension did begin to build about halfway through the story, and it finished better than it started, which was a redeeming factor for Trapped.

All in all, I can’t say that Trapped was my new favourite read, though I wish I could say it was. Perhaps it will mesh better with a younger audience than it did for me. I give it a 2.5 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to a younger YA and MG audience, especially those who enjoy contemporary and realistic fiction. It’s also great for a male audience with a male MC.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

Class Collision - (For Review - Thank you, Annette Mackey) - Born into wealth and privilege, David spends his days rattling the servants and torturing the maid until he is kidnapped for ransom and left for dead. Grueling years follow until he meets Linda. She’s sassy, pigheaded, beautiful and way more than he can possibly handle. Hate, love and passion combine as he tries to win her heart. She sees him as a drifter. Little does she know he’s a prince in disguise. Set during the Great Depression, Class Collision will transport you to a simpler time filled with heartache and unexpected love.

Wonderland - (ARC For Review - Thank you, Candlewick Press) - Sixteen-year-old Jude has to get out of tiny Churchtown. She has to escape her outcast status and her pathetic dad, who hasn’t gotten past her mother’s death. The one bright light is drama, her way out, if only she can get into the Lab, a prestigious program in London. Then Stella, Jude’s childhood best friend, swaggers in after years away. With bold and magnetic Stella by her side, Jude knows she’s capable of anything. But Stella’s influence extends well beyond the theater. Soon Stella’s wild and dangerous streak begins to cause trouble for Jude -- yet Jude can’t bring herself to abandon Stella and the attention she’s always craved.

Trapped - (ARC For Review - Thank you, Scholastic) - The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive....Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision....

What did you get in your mailbox this week? Leave me a link, and I'll be sure to check it out! Also, sorry for the hideous screencap at the start of my vid...I swear youtube is out to get me!

Click HERE to enter my international blogoversary giveaway - ends Dec. 17th!